Do Names Mean Anything Anymore?

Traditional naming practices are, of course, different from modern naming practices. Laura Watternberg described traditional naming practices in her May 2022 article on Namerology:

"Traditional can refer to the naming process, which depending on your culture might involve asking the lama to name your baby or checking on the date on the calendar of saints. It could mean naming children after their grandparents, or simply choosing from the same pool of classic names that your family and community have used across the generations."

Such traditional practices give names more meaning. For instance, being named Brigid on February 1 connects her to the saint's feast day. Being named after a grandparent on their birthday or death anniversary also adds significance to the name. Plus, traditional practices offer built-in role models. For instance, naming a child after a Biblical figure, saint, or family member passes down their virtues. 

In addition, many Biblical figures themselves got their names based on etymological meanings. For instance, Sarah and Abraham named their son Isaac because it means "he laughs." Sarah then said, according to Genesis 21:6, "God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me."

Over the past century, as individualism took hold in the United States, naming became more about style. According to Wattenberg on Namerology in December 2021, the change dates to around 1968, the year of political turmoils such as Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. African-American names rose in use as more traditional names declined, especially for girls. 

Plus, the modern availability of name statistics is motivating parents to seek more and more unusual names. According to Emma Waterhouse on Nameberry, as of May 2024, only a third of American girls and a fourth of American boys received a top 1000 name the previous year. 

It is easy to see why: parents who grew up being one of five Jessicas or Kevins in their class might not want to pass the same experience to their children. There is something missing, though.

The modern focus on style makes names more like clothes than stories. Popular naming advice such as "use the name you love" may sound perfect, but without meaning behind the choices, names become just sounds you associate yourself with. Besides, a name's suitability mainly depends on human-constructed personality images rather than etymology or circumstances of the child's birth.

I am not saying, though, that modern parents never consider etymology or circumstances when naming. Nor is this a command to choose popular over unusual names. The personal meaning one gives a name does not have to depend on popularity. For instance, a parent can name their child Amice (a medieval name meaning "friend") out of gratitude for an ever-present friend. 

Yet, it is good to consider that the most classic names have multiple built-in role models. This is a reason names like Emily and William, Jane and Henry have endured over the centuries: they easily take on multiple meanings. 

Plenty of parents still seek to honor relatives with classic names. Yet, instead of using the name directly, many of them are seeking fresh options. This may include using a variant of the name or a name with a similar sound or meaning. Parents might even put the classic in the middle spot. 

Besides, as with parenting, naming has become a class; a task that requires training from "experts." Parents have probably done the task with little to no such intervention for centuries simply by following cultural standards. Maybe re-prioritizing meaning over style can simplify the process in our complex naming age. 

On to you. Do you think names still mean something?

WORKS CITED:

Waterhouse, Emma. "100 Best Boy Names Below the Top 1000." News, Nameberry, 17 May 2024,                  https://nameberry.com/blog/unusual-names-for-boys-below-the-top-1000. 

Waterhouse, Emma. "100 Best Girl Names Below the Top 1000." News, Nameberry, 16 May 2024,                 https://nameberry.com/blog/50-amazing-names-below-the-top-1000. 

Wattenberg, Laura. "This Name Comes from the Bible. But is it Traditional?" Articles, Namerology, 26         May 2022, https://namerology.com/2022/05/26/this-name-comes-from-the-bible-but-is-it-traditional/. 

Wattenberg, Laura. "When Everything Changed." Articles, Namerology, 13 Dec.                                             2021, https://namerology.com/2021/12/13/when-everything-changed/.